Mechanism for separating the sheets of a manifold form



l Dec. 12, 1967 5. c. BANGl-:RTy 3,357,616

MECHANISM FOR SEPARATING SHEETS OF A MANIFOLD FORM Filed/Feb. 14, '1966 57 64 J4 46 45 31 4l 43 Y ArrpR/vfy United States Patent O 3,357,616 MECHANISll/ll FOR SEPARATING THE SHEETS F A MANIFOLD FORM Ernest C. Bangert, Pasadena, Calif., assigner of one-half to Alfred H. Lowers, Downey, Calif. Filed Feb. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 527,160 7 Claims. (Cl. 22S-100) This invention relates to mechnaism for separating the usable sheets of a manifold form from the bound discardable portion of said form.

Manifold forms ordinarily comprise sheaves of form sheets interleaved with carbon sheets. The form and carbon sheets are bound together along one edge of such a form with registering perforated tear lines through each form sheet adjacent to the bound edge. At the opposite edge of the form, the carbon sheets terminate short of said edge, or said opposite edges of the carbon sheets are provided with notches. In either case, the free edges of the form sheets may be gripped between the fingers of `one hand (but the edges of the carbon sheets are not so gripped), the bound edge of said form grasped by the other hand, and the form sheets separated on the tear lines from the bound edge and the carbon sheets remaining therewith, by an opposed pull of the hands. This manual type of operation depends on the expertness of 'the person performing it and frequently results in accidental tearing of one or more of the form sheets, es-

pecially at Vthe corners thereof, More Vthan one attempt at separation'of the sheets may be frequently necessary.

VVAlso,"the greater the number of form sheets in the manifold' form, thev more frequent are the faults above outv lined.

' mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide mecha- `nism, as above, that carries out the tearing away of the bound end of the form first at one corner of the form, and then progressively across the width of the form, until the bound end is completely severed from the gripped, usable sheets. Thus, the required tearing force necessary to remove the. bound end of the form is materially less than would be required to carry out a tearing operation wherein the form sheets are torn simultaneously across the entire width of the form.

This invention also has for its objects to provide such means that are positive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a working position and easily disconnected therefrom, economical of manufacture, relatively simple, andl of general superiority and serviceability.

The above objects are realized in a mechanism having a feed table that is mounted to move longitudinally on suitable support bearings against the light bias of a retracting spring which retains the table in normal manifoldreceiving position. Continually driven tear rolls are located beyond the end of said table and disposed at a small angle (approximately 2) from a normal or transverse portion relative to the table. A gate is located between said table end and the line of contact of said rollers and constitutes a retractable stop against which a manifold form is pushed preparatory to separating the bound ends of the sheets from the usable sheets.

The mechanism includes means for gripping the op- 3,357,616 Patented Dec. 12, 1967 ICC posite free ends of the manifold sheets against the upper surface of the table. The same is effected by manual movement of an actuator pad or button, The gripping mean, during its movement to and from gripping position, simultaneously actuates means to cause the mentioned form-locating gate to retract out of the path of forward movement of the table and the gripped form thereon, against the mentioned bias on the table.

Now, as the pressure on the mentioned pad or button actuator is continued, the table moves forwardly, as above indicated, so the corner of the bound end of the form that is located where the line of contact between the mentioned rollers is nearest the yretracted gate may be gripped between the rollers, which turn in a direction to pull on such form corner. The table is provided with a stop which arrests its forward movement. Hence, the rollers will tear away the gripped end of the form, the tear progressing toward the other ends of the tear rollers `due to the mentioned angle thereof relative to the table.

Upon such severance, the bias on the table becomes effective to retract the table and the separated sheets still gripped thereon. Release of the pad or button frees said sheets for removal thereof, restores the gate to its initial form-arresting position, and moves a sheet-raising pin to facilitate such removal of the form sheets.

The present mechanism includes means for effecting adjustment of the gripping position according to the length of the form. Also included is means for self-adjustment of the gripping means, enabling applications of uniform gripping pressure against the table by said means.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novel combinations and arrangements lof parts, which will more fully appear in the course of the following description, which is based on the accompanying drawing. However, said drawing merely shows, and the following description merely describes, one embodiment of the present invention, which is given by way of illustration or example only.

In the drawing, like reference characters designate similar parts inthe several views.

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of mechanism for separating the sheets of a manifold form according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view thereof, portions being shown in section.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view, as taken on the line 3-3 of FIG, 2.

The mechanism that is illustrated is shown in the form of a table-like machine that comprises, generally, a support frame 5, a preferably inclined feed table 6 slidingly supported on saidframe, a spring 7 to bias the table to a normally retracted position against a stop, a manifold form-gripping unit 9 slightly adjustable on the table for adjustment according to the length of the form F to be fed to the table, guide means 10 aixed to the under side of the table along which said unit 9 is guided, manually actuable means 11 mounted on the unit 10 to operate the unit 9 to press the free ends of the sheets of a manifold form F against the top surface of the table, a retractable gate 12 constituting a stop to locate the bound end of the for-m F when positioned on the table, spring-biased means 13 to hold the gate 12 in stop position, means 14 connected to the means 11 to yoperate the same against the spring bias thereof, and continuously driven roller means 16 to grip and tear the bound end of the form F from the sheets that are gripped by the means 9.

The support frame 5 is shown as provided with bearing blocks 20 that are formed as slides and guides on which the table 6 moves back and forth longitudinally. At the far end of said frame are provided bearings to rotationally mount the roller means 16. Forward of these bearings, a guide 21 extends transversely above the level of the table 6, the same serving to guide .the bound end of the form F as the same is manually fed to the table against the stop atorded by the gate 12.

The table 6 is shown as a rectangular plate 23 guided and supported by the bearings 20, the same having a dat upper surface on which a for-m F is adapted to be placed. At one side edge, the table is provided with a block 24 to guide the form with relation to said edge. A longitudinal slot 25 is formed in the table for reasons later apparent.

The spring 7 is connected by one end 26 to the bottom of the table 6 and by its other end 27 to the frame 5, or a portion thereof, that is extended from a side or the bottom of the frame. Thus, as shown, the table is biased to a retracted position, which in this case, is limited by the engagement of a lug 28 on the table and a transverse T- bar 29 on the support frame. The projected position of the table is limited by a stop lug 28a forward of the lug 28.

The unit 9 is shown as a U-shaped frame or bracket 30 that has a lower arm 31 -beneath the table 6, an upper parallel arm 32 spaced above the table, a web 33 connecting said arms 31 and 32 and extending vertically outside the edge of the table that is provided with the guide block 24, and a depending leg 34 on the inwardly extending end of the arm 32 and spaced from said web, as best seen in PIG. 3.

An enlarged shaft 35 is horizontally disposed between the web 33 and the leg 34, is spaced above the table 6, and is mounted in said web and leg as by trunnions 36, said shaft being rotatable on the axis of said trunnions. In a recessed middle part 37 of shaft 35 is located a gripper blade l38. that has a forwardly and downwardly extending edge 39. Said blade 38 is mounted on shaft 35 by a -pivot 40, suficient pivotal and lateral looseness of the blade 'being provided so that said blade edge 39 will seat evenly on a form F disposed on the table, when the shaft 35 is turned in a counter-clockwise direction, as seen in FIG. 2, on the axis of said trunnions 36.

Said unit 9 is adjustable along the table according to the length of the forms being separated, so the free ends of the form sheets are gripped beyond the ends of the carbon sheets interleaved therewith. To this end, the arm 31 has Ia hole therein for guiding engagement with the means 10. Said means is shown as a rod 41 mounted beneath the table as by end brackets 42, said rod extending through the hole in the frame arm 31 and guiding the mentioned adjustment, which may 'be fixed as by a wing screw 43 on the frame 30 impinging on the rod 41.

The manually actuated means 11 is shown as an arm 44 on a pivot rod 45 that has bearing in the frame arm 31 and in an extension 46 thereof, a notch 47 in said ar-m, and a pin 48 extending into said notch from the adjacent end of the shaft 35 and through a clearance opening in the web 33 of the bracket 30.

A laterally extending rod 49 on the end of arm 44, beyond the leg 34 of said bracket, is provided with a pad 50 that is adapted to be pushed in order to rearwardly rock the arm 44 and cause the shaft 35 to turn counterclockwise due to the engagement of pin 48 in the notch 47. Thus, the blade edge 39 is moved down into gripping or clamping engagement with the ends of the manifold sheets of form F.

The gate 12 is disposed normal to the longitudinal extent of the table, beyond the far end of said table, and is carried on a pivot 51 by the support frame 5. The gate comprises a wall 52 that extends upwardly from the pivot S1 above the level of the table and, in the normal position shown, forms a stop against which the bound end of a manifold form F is moved, the flared guide 21 insuring that said form end engages the gate.

The means 1'3 is shown as a member formed of rod material, the same having an end 53 in a bearing 54 affixed to the support frame 5, an aligned portion 55 in sliding engagement with a bearing 56 secured to the under face of the table 6, a crank portion 57 between the end 53 and portion and offset toward the edge of said table on which the unit 9 is mounted, and an arm 58 on the far end of the portion 55 extending in the same direction as the crank portion. A spring 59 around the end 53 biases the crank portion upwardly toward tbe bottom of the table, and a link 6ft connects said rod end 58 to brackets `61 afiixed to the wall 52 of the gate 12. Said link 60 and brackets 61 are pivotally connected so that upon depression of the crank 57 and, therefore, lowering of the end of arm 58, the link will pull the gate around the pivot 51 thereof, swinging the gate wall 52 downwardly out of the path of the manifold form F when the same is moved in a direction toward the line of engagement of the roller means 16.

The means 14 is shown as a rock lever aixed on the end of pivot rod 45 and has a rearwardly extending arm 62 in which a pin 63 is provided, the same .having bearing engagement on the crank 57, holding said crank portion .positioned to retain the gate 12 upright, as in FIG. 2. Said lever is provided with a forwardly extending arm 64 having an upwardly directed pin 65 that extends into the slot `25 in the table. The mentioned engagement of the pin 63 and the crank portion 64 holds the -rock lever in a position in which the pin 65 is depressed below the top surface of the table 6, as shown in FIG. 43..

The roller means 16 comprises a roller 66 that, by a belt and pulley drive 67, is driven, as by a motor 6,8, in the direction of the arrow 69, and a free-turning rubbercoated roller disposed above the roller 66 and resting thereupon by gravity or under bias of suitable springs, as desired. As seen in FIG. l, the roller means is disposed at a slight angle of about 2 with relation to the normal position of the gate 12. Thus, the line of contact 71 between the rollers 66 and 70 is nearer to said gate at one side of the machine than at the other. It will be clear, therefore that the bound end of a form moved toward the roller means 16 will be gripped between the rollers, first by one corner and then progressively across the width of the form, as the same is pulled rearwardly by the grip of the rollers along the line of contact 71.

The stog lug 28a is arranged so the same will encounter the T-bar 29 and arrest forward movement of the table immediately after one corner of the form is gripped. Continued rotation of the rollers pulls on the form so that a snubbing force is created between the blade 38 and the table 6, insuring a tight, non-slipping grip of the form. The rollers pull with a force to tear progressively across the form at the perforated tear lines between the bound end of the form and the usable sheets, which remain clamped to the table. Said bound end and the carbon sheets extending therefrom are delivered by the rollers from the far end of the mechanism.

Operation After adjusting the unit 9 to the length of the manifold form that is to be operated on by the present mechanism, a form F is laid on the table 6 under the blade 38, with one side edge guided by the block 24, and with the bound end of the form against the wall 52 of the gate 12.

With the rollers 66 and 70 turning, the pad 50 is pushed rearwardly, causing the arm 44, by engagement with the pin 48, to turn the shaft 35 in a direction to bring the blade edge 39 into position to clamp the unbound end of the form against the table 6. This movement of the arm 44 causes the lever arm 62 on pivot rod 45 to depress. The pin 63 on said arm rocks the crank 57 so the arm 58 will pull on the link 60 to tilt the gate 12 to its lowered position clear of the edge of the form F that is bearing thereagainst.

Continued pressure against said pad 50 moves the unit 9 bodily forward, causing the table, with the form clamped thereon, to move forwardly, and also to bring the bound end of the form, at one corner thereof, between the rollersy 66 and 70. Rotation of said rollers pulls on the corner thus gripped. At this time, the forward table movement is stopped by the lug 28a engaging the T-bar 29. As a consequence, the bound end of the form will be torn from the gripped sheets on the table, the tearing continuing across the form in a progressive manner due to the angled disposition of the line of roller contact 71.

When the lower arm 62 is depressed, the opposite arm 64 is raised, causing the pin `65 thereon to be protruded above the surface of the table 6. Said pin will raise the free end of the form from the table, thereby facilitating grasping thereof for removal from the table when the pad 50 is released and the parts of the mechanism automatically return to their original positions under bias of the springs 7 and 59, to receive the next form to be separated.

While the foregoing has illustrated and described what is now contemplated to be the best mode of carrying out the invention, the construction is, of course, subject to modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, it is not desired to restrict the invention to the particular form of construction illustrated and described, but to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope 0f the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Mechanism for separating the usable sheets of a manifold form along a tear line from the discardable bound end of of said form, said mechanism comprising:

(a) la slidable table that is normally retracted and adapted to support a manifold form with its bound end forwardly directed,

(b) means to clamp the opposite rearward end to the table,

(c) a gate disposed beyond the forward end of the retracted table and constituting a stop against which said bound form end is placed,

(d) a single manual means to operate the form-clamping means to simultaneously retract the gate to a position out of the path of the bound end of the gate and move the table forwardly to project said form end forwardly,

(e) continuously driven tear rollers between which the bound end of the form is introduced, said rollers turning in a direction to grip and pull on said end, of the form, and

(f) a stop for said table after the same has moved to so introduce the form end,

(g) said rollers having their axes fat an angle to a line normal to the length 0f the table, the line of contact of the rollers first gripping and tearing one corner of the bound end of the form from the clamped end of the form, and then progressively gripping successive portions of the bound end across the width of the form while the table is held stationary by the stop.

2. Mechanism according to claim 1 provided with means to adjust the position of Ithe clamping means so the same may be set to clamp the usable form sheets adjacent the edges thereof removed from the bound end of the form.

3. Mechanism according to claim 1 in which the clampmg means comprises:

(a) a frame that is adjustable longitudinally of the table,

(b) a rotational shaft ijournalled in said frame on an axis transverse to the length of the table, and

(c)ha clamping blade extending rearwardly from said s aft,

(d) the manual means including an actuator member that when pushed forwardly rocks the clamping shaft to swing the blade thereof toward thetable to clamp the form sheets.

4. Mechanism according to claim 3 in which the actuator includes:

(a) an arm on a pivot on said frame,

(b) a connection between said arm and the shaft to rotate the `latter in a sheet-gripping direction upon movement of the actuator,

(c) a second arm on the pivot, and

(d) means engaged by said latter arm and connected to the gate to retract the same simultaneously with the rotation of the clamping shaft.

5. Mechanism according to clairn3 in which is provided a pivot to loosely mount the blade on the clamping shaft, the blade having a clamping edge that seats evenly on the form sheets by alignment of its edge with the table on said pivot.

6. Mechanism according to claim y1 provided with a spring to retain the table retracted and against the bias of which the table moves forwardly against the mentioned stop, said spring, upon release of the single manual means, returning the table to retracted position.

7. Mechanism according to claim 6 in which:

(a) the gate-retracting means includes a spring-biased crank that normally resiliently retains the gate in form-stopping position, and

(b) the single manual means includes an actuator common to the clamping means and the gate-retracting means,

(c) said gate-retracting means engaging the crank to be moved thereby to normal position to cause the `clamping means to move to release position upon release of the single manual means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,158,727 5/ 1939 Morrison et al. 225-3 2,771,950 11/1956 Smith 22S-100 JAMES M. MEISTER, Primary Examiner. 

1. MECHANISM FOR SEPARATING THE UNSABLE SHEETS OF A MANIFOLD FORM ALONG A TEAR LINE FROM THE DISCARDABLE BOUND END OF THE SAID FORM, SAID MECHANISM COMPRISING: (A) A SLIDABLE TABLE THAT IS NORMALLY RETRACTED AND ADAPTED TO SUPPORT A MANIFOLD FORM WITH ITS BOUND AND FORWARDLY DIRECTED, (B) MEANS TO CLAMP THE OPPOSITE REARWARD END TO THE TABLE, (C) A GATE DISPOSED BEYOND THE FORWARD END OF THE RETRACTED TABLE AND CONSTITUTING A STOP AGAINST WHICH SAID BOUND FORM END IS PLACED, (D) A SINGLE MANUAL MEANS TO OPERATE THE FORM-CLAMPING MEANS TO SIMULTANEOUSLY RETRACT THE GATE TO A POSITION OUT OF THE PATH OF THE BOUND END OF THE GATE AND MOVE THE TABLE FORWARDLY TO PROJECT SAID FORM END FORWARDLY, (E) CONTINUOUSLY DRIVEN TEAR ROLLERS BETWEEN WHICH THE BOUND END OF THE FORM IS INTRODUCED, SAID ROLLERS TURNING IN A DIRECTION TO GRIP AND PULL ON SAID END, OF THE FORM, AND (F) A STOP FOR SAID TABLE AFTER THE SAME HAS MOVED TO SO INTRODUCE THE FORM END, (G) SAID ROLLERS HAVING THEIR AXES AT AN ANGLE TO A LINE NORMAL TO THE LENGTH OF THE TABLE, THE LINE OF CONTACT OF THE ROLLERS FIRST GRIPPING AND TEARING ONE CORNER OF THE BOUND END FOR THE FORM FROM THE CLAMPED END OF THE FORM, AND THEN PROGRESSIVELY GRIPPING SUCCESSIVE PORTIONS OF THE BOUND END ACROSS THE WIDTH OF THE FORM WHILE THE TABLE IS HELD STATIONARY BY THE STOP. 